Man accused of raiding nephew's piggy bank

A St. Louis-area man is accused of stealing more than $500 from his nephew's piggy bank and spending the money on drugs and prostitutes.

St. Louis County prosecutors have charged 30-year-old Baron Calmese Jr. with one count of felony stealing.

Investigators say Calmese took the money from his 4-year-old nephew's bank last summer after first asking the boy's mother - his sister - if he could borrow some change. Authorities say she told Calmese he could take $2 from the bank, but that he took all the money he could shake out of it.

Calmese is out of jail on his own recognizance.

His public defender, Steve Lewis, was unavailable for comment Wednesday. Efforts to leave a message for him were unsuccessful because his voicemail box was full.

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